K-2 Students Now Explore Colonial Communities at Philipsburg
Education has been fundamental to Historic Hudson Valley’s mission since its earliest days. Our interactive programs provide students with the opportunity to learn from professionally trained educators, tour historic sites and buildings, and connect with history in engaging and meaningful ways right in Westchester County.
Beginning this spring, Historic Hudson Valley has expanded its education programs to include grades K-2, thanks to support from The New York Community Trust’s Arnold E. and Olga C. Feldman Fund and working closely with the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns.
The Colonial Communities field trip at Philipsburg Manor provides K-2 students with an overview of the mid-18th century represented by the site and introduces them to the four different communities of people who lived there: Dutch merchants, tenant farmers, enslaved Africans, and the Lenape. During the field trip, students visit various buildings throughout the property, each featuring its own hands-on activity. One favorite among the students is threshing wheat in the barn, where they separate the edible part of the grain from the straw. They also observe the gristmill in action, explore rooms inside the Manor House, and learn about foodways while creating their own maps of Philipsburg Manor.
For many younger learners the journey of discovering the past is just beginning as they explore the stories and events that have shaped history and realize how they relate to them. With the addition of this new field trip option, students from elementary through high school have the opportunity to step back in time and discover the lives of those who lived and worked at Philipsburg Manor. They will also learn about the diverse communities of early New York and celebrate Black history and culture in an age-appropriate manner.
“During the 2025-2026 school year, we launched four new educational programs,” said Nicole Wallace, Director of Education. “We expect to see nearly 4,000 children this spring alone. For many of these young learners, this will be their first field trip. This generous grant has also allowed us to develop comprehensive resources for teachers to support their students’ learning both before and after their visit to Philipsburg Manor.”
Educators are continually seeking reliable resources to meet New York State curricular standards, particularly in Social Studies, which emphasizes themes such as community, identity, and history for students at this age. Historic Hudson Valley is an ideal partner for compelling educational experiences aligned with these themes at Philipsburg Manor since multiple communities converged there in the mid-18th century, right in these students’ neighborhood.
Historic Hudson Valley’s longstanding commitment to supporting education drives our efforts to provide programming that is grounded in local history and primary-source documentation. Thousands of students participate in fields trips and in-class school programs each year, while educators benefit from teacher training workshops.
The Trust’s earlier support from the Feldman Fund, the Westchester Fund, and the Miriam and Elsie Reinhart Memorial Fund allowed us to grow our Pinkster field trip program for fourth- and fifth-grade classes and deepen our partnership with the Tarrytown school district. These initiatives will continue with the funding of our new Colonial Communities field trip.
Historic Hudson Valley is deeply grateful to The New York Community Trust for making it possible to develop and expand our innovative educational programs.
